Conservancy workers in a few wards of Ambattur staged a protest on Tuesday against the decision of a new private agency to reduce the workforce.
They demanded jobs for 1,500 people who had been clearing garbage in Ambattur under the National Urban Livelihoods Mission.
A few days ago, a private conservancy operator started clearing garbage in zones such as Ambattur and northern parts of the city. Most old conservancy employees under the NULM were not given jobs by the new conservancy operator. After protests by the conservancy workers two weeks ago, the police and civic officials held a meeting and suspended the operations of a private agency ahead of the Assembly election.
However, a new agency started work in Ambattur this week and reduced the number of workers from 1,500 to 750.
Greater Chennai Corporation officials said most conservancy workers would be given jobs by the new conservancy operator.
Mechanised sweeping and modern equipment had been introduced in many zones, leading to a reduction in workforce. Previously, 19,000 conservancy workers were clearing garbage in the city. The number is expected to reduce after the launch of new private companies for conservancy operations.
The Corporation collects over 5,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste every day, dumping the waste in Perungudi and Kodungaiyur after segregation.
Facilities for decentralised waste processing would handle more than 2,500 tonnes in a few months, said an official.
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